Quick Points: How to save 5% on all hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars with Capital One
Want to save even more money when booking flights and hotels with your Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card?
TPG values Capital One miles at 1.85 cents each, per our March 2025 valuations, when you transfer your miles to airline and hotel partners such as British Airways, Turkish Airlines and Wyndham Hotels. But if you don't plan to transfer your miles to one of Capital One's 15-plus partners to maximize your rewards, here's an easy hack you can use.
With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you'll earn 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal and 2 miles per dollar spent on all other purchases.
Currently, new cardholders can earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. Plus, upon approval, you'll receive a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use during your first year.
So, where do extra savings come in?
If you book through Capital One Travel, you can pay with miles at a fixed value of 1 cent per mile or with cash. For example, for this stay in Miami, at checkout (not including the hotel service fee due at check-in), you'll pay either $411.74 or 41,174 miles (a value of 1 cent per mile).
If you were to redeem your miles at checkout, your card would never be charged; therefore, you would not earn any additional rewards. However, if you were to pay with your Venture Rewards card, you would earn 5 miles per dollar spent on this purchase. That translates to 2,058 miles.
Since Capital One also lets you cover travel purchases from your statement within 90 days of the purchase date at a rate of 1 cent per mile, redeeming your rewards this way allows you to earn miles for your spending.
Therefore, once this travel purchase is posted to my account, I can still use 41,174 Capital One miles to remove it from my statement as though my card was never charged. Because I initially purchased my travel with cash instead of redeeming my miles, I'm 2,058 miles richer. That's around a 5% rebate on my hotel booking through the portal.
The downside to doing this? You likely will not earn hotel points or be able to use elite status benefits on bookings made through Capital One Travel. This is because the major hotel chains usually require you to book directly to receive these benefits. However, flights booked through Capital One Travel typically earn miles as usual and are eligible for all elite status benefits, so make sure you add your frequent flyer number before you fly.
Therefore, if you don't plan to transfer your Capital One miles to partners but want to redeem your rewards on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars, you can book through the Capital One portal and pay with your credit card, earning 5 miles per dollar spent. Then, redeem your miles at a rate of 1 cent per mile to effectively save 5% on all hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Delta SkyClub access when flying Delta
- Annual companion ticket for travel on Delta (upon renewal)
- Ability to earn MQDs through spending
- Various statement credits for eligible purchases
Cons
- Steep annual fee of $650
- Other Delta cobranded cards offer superior earning categories
- Earn 100,000 Bonus Miles after you spend $6,000 or more in purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership and an additional 25,000 bonus miles after you make an additional $3,000 in purchases on the Card within your first 6 months, starting from the date that your account is opened. Offer Ends 04/01/2026.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members receive 15 Visits per Medallion® Year to the Delta Sky Club® when flying Delta and can unlock an unlimited number of Visits after spending $75,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Plus, you’ll receive four One-Time Guest Passes each Medallion Year so you can share the experience with family and friends when traveling Delta together.
- Enjoy complimentary access to The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. and select international locations (as set forth on the Centurion Lounge Website), Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge in the U.S. (see the Centurion Lounge Website for more information on Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge availability), and Escape Lounges when flying on a Delta flight booked with the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. § To access Sidecar by The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 90 minutes of their departing flight (including layovers). To access The Centurion® Lounge, Card Members must arrive within 3 hours of their departing flight. Effective July 8, 2026, during a layover, Card Members must arrive within 5 hours of the connecting flight.
- Receive $2,500 Medallion® Qualification Dollars with MQD Headstart each Medallion Qualification Year and earn $1 MQD for each $10 in purchases on your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card with MQD Boost to get closer to Status next Medallion Year.
- Enjoy a Companion Certificate on a Delta First, Delta Comfort, or Delta Main round-trip flight to select destinations each year after renewal of your Card. The Companion Certificate requires payment of government-imposed taxes and fees of between $22 and $250 (for itineraries with up to four flight segments). Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. Delta Basic experiences are not eligible for this benefit.
- $240 Resy Credit: When you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card for eligible purchases with U.S. Resy restaurants, you can earn up to $20 each month in statement credits. Enrollment required.
- $120 Rideshare Credit: Earn up to $10 back in statement credits each month after you use your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card to pay for U.S. rideshare purchases with select providers. Enrollment required.
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card Members get 15% off when using miles to book Award Travel on Delta flights through delta.com and the Fly Delta app. Discount not applicable to partner-operated flights or to taxes and fees.
- With your Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, receive upgrade priority over others with the same Medallion tier, product and fare experience purchased, and Million Miler milestone when you fly with Delta.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees. Enjoy international travel without additional fees on purchases made abroad.
- $650 Annual Fee.
- Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees